Emergency-governor mechanism for prime movers



April 17, 1928. 1,666,490

W. P. DRYER EMERGENCY GOVERNOR MECHANISM FOR PRIME MOVERS Filed' March 18, 1921 t-or: William P. Dr

Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. DRYER, F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EMERGENCY-GOVERNOR MECHANISM FOR PRIME MOVERS.

Application filed March 18, 1921. Serial No. 453,345.

The present invention relates to emergency governor mechanisms for prime movers such as elastic fluid turbines and the like. in which the emergency mechanism comprises in part a member carried by a 1'0- tating shaft and biased by its weight, a spring or other suitable means to one position, and adapted to be moved by centrifugal force in case of excess speed to trip a valve mechanism which shuts off the supply of elastic fluid to the prime mover. Insuch apparatus the emergency governor is set to trip the valve mechanism when a speed a predetermined amount above normal speed is reached.

In the use of such mechanisms it is desirable to actuate them from time to time to see that they are in proper working order and the object of my invention is to provide an improved structure and arrangement whereby such a mechanism may be actuated at any time without bringing the prime mover up to the excess speed for which the emergency is set to trip.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an end View partly in section of an emergency governor embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showinv my invention applied to an elastic fluid tnr inc.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates an elastic fluid turbine having an inlet conduit 6 in which is located a valve mechanism 7. The valve mechanism indicated is a well known type of combined trip and throttle valve adapted to be opened and closed manually by hand wheel 8 and adapted to close automatically whenever trip finger 9 is actuated to release spring pressed. rod 10. The foregoing turbine and valve arrangement is shown only by way of example and is to be taken as typical of any suitable valve arrangement adapted to be tripped and closed automatically by an emergency governor.

Mounted on shaft 11 of the turbine is an emergency governor in the form of a rin 12 comprising two walls 13 and 14 held in spaced relation to each other by a wall 15 which extends part way around the rin At the ends of walls 15 are radially extending partition plates 16 having flanges 17 riveted to walls 13 and 14. It will thus be seen that walls 13;. 14 and 15 and partition plates 16- form a pocket 18 located on one side of ring 12. Ring 12, which may be termed an outer ring, is mounted on an inner ring 19 which in turn is fixed directly on shaft 11, the connection between rings 12 and 19 being such that When a predetermined speed is reached ring 12 will be moved transversely relativel to ring 19 by centrifugal force and striking the end of finger 9, trip the emergency valve mechanism and permit it to automatically close. To this end ring 19 is provided on one side with a guide pin 20 whichenters a socket 21 formed in a block 22 carried by the central portion of wall 15, the block being located about midway between the two endsof pocket 18. On the opposite side of ring 19 is a socket 23 in which is located one end of a coiled spring 21. The other end of spring 24 enters a cylinder 25 fixed between walls 13 and 14 and engages a head 26 having threaded engagement with cylinder 25 so that by screw ing the head into and out of the cylinder, the tension of spring 24 can be adjusted. 27 is a guide member for ring 12, the same being in the form of a sleeve surrounding spring 24 with one end fixed'in socket 23 and the other having sliding engagement with cylinder 25. The right-hand side of ring 12 as shown in Fig. 1, that is the side containing pocket 18, is heavier than the other side so that when the shaft is rotating, ring 12 tends to move transversely ofthe shaft. In other words the center of gravity of ring 12' is located to one side of its geometrical center or the center about which it rotates. It is held from such movement by spring 24 which tends to hold ring 12 in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the end of block 22 against a stop nut as indicated at 28. After a predetermined speed is reached, the centrifugal force exerted on ring 12 will be suflicient to overcome spring 2 1 and move ring 12 transversely of the shaft so it will engage trip finger 9 and effect the closing of the emergency valve. In ordinary practice the tension of spring 24 will be adjusted so the emergency mechanism will operate at a speed a predetermined amount above normal speed;

N ow in order to be able to test the emergency mechanism at any time without running the machine at the excess speed for which the emergency governor is set, I provide a means whereby while the machine is running, additional weight can be added to the ring 12 so as to increase its heaviness, or the eccentricity of its center of gravity, 01' both. ugal force so the emergency governor will operate at normal speed or even at a speed below normal. Preferably I provide means for adding weight to the ring 12 on its heavy side whereby both the weight of the ring and the eccentricity of its center of gravity is increased. I prefer to add weight in the form of liquid which is supplied to pocket 18 from a nozzle 29 on the end of a pipe 30. In pipe 30 is a control valve 31, and the pipe may lead from any suitable source of liquid supply of suitable pressure such as, for example, the forced feed lubricating system of the prime mover. In wall 15 are one or more holes 32 for the escape of the liquidsupplied to pocket 18. Holes 32 are of such size as compared to nozzle 29, that liquid can be supplied by the nozzle to pocket 18 faster than it can escape from the pocket through holes 32.

The operation is as follows: Assume the prime mover is running at normal speed and it is desired to trip the emergency governor mechanism to test it.- Valve 31 is opened whereupon liquid is discharged from nozzle 29 into pocket 18 thereby increasing the weight and eccentricity of ring 12 to such an extent that at normal speed ring 12 will be moved by centrifugal force against the action of spring 21 so asto engage trip finger 9 and effect the actuation of the emergency valve'mechanism. After the mechanism has been tripped, valve 31 is closed after which the emergencyvalve may be reset in the usual manner. The liquid in pocket 18 will escape through opening or openings 32 and ring 12 will be returned to normal position by spring 24.

It will be seen that by my invention the emergency governor mechanism can be tested at any time while the machine is running without having to overspeed the machine or stop it to adjust the emergency governor, and that after the emergency mechanism trips the emergency governor requires no resetting. Furthermore, the setting of-the emergency governor for the speed at which it is This serves to increase the centrif-' desired to have it trip in actual use is not disturbed. The emergency mechanism can thus be easily and quickly tested at any time and reset again without actually stopping the machine and without bringing it up to the speed for which the emergency governor is set.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to haveit understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means. 7 7 W hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. In combination, a prime mover, means controlling the flow of operating fluid thereto, an emergency governor operated by centrifugal force for effecting the actuation of said means when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined high value, and means for increasingthe eccentricity of the center of g avity of the emergency governor while the prime mover is running by adding weight to the governor whereby it will operate at a speed lower than that for which it is set.

2. In combination, a prime mover, means controlling the flow of operating fluid thereto, an emergency governor operated by centrifugal force for effecting the actuation of. said means when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined high value. and means for increasing the weight of the emergency governor while the prime mover is running whereby it will operate at a speed lower than that for which it is set.

3. In combination, a prime mover, means controlling the flow of operating fluid thereto, an emergency governor operated by centrifugal force for effecting the actuation of said means when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined high value, and means for increasing the weightand eccentricity of the center of gravity of the emergency governor while the prime mover is running whereby it will operate at a speed lower than that for which it is set.

4c. In combination, a prime mover, a trip valve controlling the flow of operating fluid thereto, an emergency governor comprising an eccentric member adapted to trip said valve and efiect its closing when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined. high value, and means for adding weight to the heavy side of the eccentric member while the prime mover is running so as to increase the centrifugal action and effect the closing of the trip valve at a speed lower than that for which the emergency governor is set.

5. In combination, a prime mover, a trip valve controlling the flow of operating fluid Inn an eccentric member adapted to trip said valve and effect itsclosing when the speed of the prime moverreaches a predetermined high value, said eccentric member having a pocket on its heavy side, and means for. supplying a substance having weight to said pocket while the prime mover is running so as to increase the centrifugal action and 8f? feet the closing of the trip valve at a speed lower than that for which the emergency governor is set.

6. In combination, a prime mover, a trip valve controlling the flow of operating fluid thereto, an emergency governor comprising an eccentric member adapted to trip said valve and effect its closing when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined high value, said eccentric member having a pocket on its heavy side, and means for discharging a liquid into said pocket while the prime mover is running so as to increase the centrifugal action and effect the closing of the trip valve at a speed lower than that for which the emergency governor is set.

7. In combination, a prime mover, a trip valve controlling the flow of operating fluid thereto, an emergency governor comprising an eccentric member adapted to trip said valve and effect its closing when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined high value, said eccentric member having a pocket on its heavy side, and means for discharging a liquid into said pocket while the prime mover is running so as to increase the centrifugal action and effect the closing of the trip valve at a. speed lower than that for which the emergency governor is set, a wall of said pocket being provided with an opening for the escape of such liquid.

8. In combination, a prime mover, a trip valve controlling the flow of elastic fluid thereto, an emergency governor comprising a ring which surrounds the shaft and has its center of gravity at one side of the center of the shaft, said ring being adapted to move transversely of the shaft to trip said valve and efl ect its closing when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined high value, means forming a pocket on the heavy side of the ring, and means for supplying liquid to said pocket.

9. In combination, a prime mover, a trip valve controlling the flow of elastic fluid thereto, an emergency governor comprising a ring which surrounds the shaft and has its center of gravity at one side of the center of the shaft, said ring being adapted to move transversely of the shaft to trip said valve and effect its closing when the speed of the prime mover reaches a predetermined high value, means forming a pocket on the heavy side of the ring, and means for supplying liquid to said pocket, a wall of said pocket being provided with "an opening through which liquid can escape from the pocket.

10. An emergency governor comprising a ring having a pocket on one side adapted to receive a substance for .addingweight to the ring, and means for supplying a. weightadding substance to the ring while the ring 1s in motion.

11. An emergency governor comprising a ring and means forming a pocket at one side of the ring adapted to receive a substance for adding weight to the ring, a wall of said pocket being provided with an opening for the escape of such substance.

12. An emergency governor comprising a ring having its center of gravity at one side of its geometrical center, means forming a pocket on the heavy side of the ring adapted to receive a substance for adding Weight to the ring, and means for supplying a Weightadding substance to the ring While the ring is in motion.

13. Anemergency governor comprising a ring having its center of gravity at one side I of its geometrical center, and means forming a pocket on the heavy side of the ring adapted to receive a substance for adding weight to the ring, a wall of said pocket being provided with an opening for the escape of such substance.

14. An emergency governor comprising an inner ring adapted to be fixed to a rotating shaft, an outer ring which surrounds the inner ring and is adapted to move transversely relatively to the inner ring, the center of gravity of the outer ring being at one side of its geometrical center, means forming a pocket on the heavy side of the ring which pocket opens toward the center of thering, means for supplying a weightadding substance to the ring While the ring is in motion, and yielding means which opposes transverse movement of the outer ring.

15. An emergency governor comprising an inner ring adapted to be fixed to a rotating shaft, an outer ring which surrounds the inner ring and is adapted to move transversely relatively to the inner ring, the center of gravity of the outer ring being at one side of its geometrical center, means forming a pocket on the heavy side of the ring which pocket opens toward the center of the ring, and yielding means which opposes transverse movement of the outer ring. the wall of said pocket opposite its open side being provided with an opening.

16. The combination with a rotating shaft, of an emergency governor comprising a ring which surrounds the shaft and stands in spaced relation thereto, yielding means which opposes transverse movement of the ring relatively to the shaft, means forming a pocket in the ring, the open side of which faces toward the shaft, and means for supplyingliquid to said pocket While the shaft is rotating.

17. The combination With a rotating shaft, of an emergency governor comprising a member carried by the shaft and adapted to move relatively thereto under the action of centrifugal force, yielding means which opposes movement of said member, said member being provided With a pocket, and 10 means for supplying liquid to said pocket While the shaft is rotating.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand'this 17th day of March, 1921.

WILLIAM P. DRYER. 

